Washing-machine



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

THEODORE M. WESTFALL, on KEENSBUBG, ILLINOIS.

QWASHING-MAYOHINE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart following is a full, clear, and'eXact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section. Fig. 2 is a plan or top view, and Figs. 3and 4 are detail views;

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures. V

This invention relates to that class of washing-machines known as reciprocating rubbers, and it consists in the construction and arrangement of parts of a machine adaptedto hold the clothes upon a stationary frame while they are being subjected to the action of the reciprocating rubber.

The object of my invention is to construct a washing-machine which shall operate on the same principle as washing by hand with an ordinary wash-board. V

In the drawings, Ais the tub, which may be of any suitable. size, and is supported upon legs a a. To the inner walls of this tub,-on opposite sides, are affixed slotted cleats b c, placed in a slanting position, the long cleats b b having offsets d d, which form rests for the upper end of the clothes-fr'ameB, the opposite or lower end of which rests upon the bottom of the tub, abutting against the lower end of the short cleats c, as clearly shown in Fig. l of the drawings.

Frame B consists of two side pieces, e e, which are united by a board or platform, j,

that is covered with a jacket of india-rubber,

. flannel, felt, or any other suitable material,de-

noted by the letter f. At each-end of the covered platform f is pivoted a cross-piece, g g, which is acted upon on its under side by a bent spring, h h, the'free ends of each of which work against lugs or ears 9 9 upon the under side of the cross-pieces g g, so as to impel these againstthe upper and lower edges of the platform f respectively. In other words, these of Letters Patent No. 224,259, dated February 3, 1880. Application filed October 21, 1879.

pivoted cross-pieces g 9 act as clamps, impelled by their springs h h, which will hold the clothing spread upon the platform firmly in place during the operation of washing.

"0 is the reciprocating rubber, which is covered on its under side with a shield of serrated or roughened sheet metal, like an ordi-- nary wash-board, and slides in grooves or ways in side pieces, D D, which are united by crosspieces E E. A link or pitman, F, connects the lower end of the rubber G with a crankshaft, Ggitlld the upper and lower ends of the side pieces,D D, are tenoned to fit into the slots in the cleats b b c 0, so as to hold them with the rubber in a slanting position parallel to and above the stationary platform B.

In order to cause the rubber, with its frame, to bear against the platform, I employ crosspieces, (denoted by the letters H and H, re-

spectively,) which are attached to coiled springs I I, secured at their lower ends in the bottom of v the tub. These cross-pieces are slipped over the upper and lower ends of the frame D D, so as to hold it adjustably against the inclined face of the platform B From the foregoingdescription, taken in connection with the drawings, the operation of my invention will be readily understood.

The clothes to be cleaned having been se cured upon platform B in the manner described and the tub filled with suds, the reciprocating rubber is placed in its position and the cross-pieces H H adjusted, which will cause it to bear down against the clothes on.

the platform. The link F is then connected with the. crank, when, by operating shaft G, the rubber is reciprocated upon the clothes,

which are clamped upon the platform, thoroughly cleansing them, substantially in the same manner as if they had been rubbed by hand upon a wash-board.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- 1, The combination, with the tub A, having cleats *b d c, of the clothes-holding inclined frame B, provided with a jacket, f, and with hinged clamps g g at'its upper and lower ends, operated by springs hh, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and described.

2- The combination, with the tub A and stationary inclined elotlrholding frame B, provided with the spring-clamps g g, of the adjustable frame D D E E, holding the reciprocating rubber C, substantially as and for the 5 purpose herein shown and set forth.

3. In a washing-machine, the combination, with the tub A, of the inclined cloth-holding frame B, having spring-clamps g g, inclined frame D D E E, tension-bars H H, recipro- IO eating rubber 0, link F, and crank-shaft G, all

constructed and combined to operate substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein shown and specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

THEODORE MARSHAL WEsTFALL.

Witnesses:

MILTON WESTFALL, HIRAM WESTFALL. 

